


Scary Abe

by Homerthe27



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Book 1: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson), Developing Relationship, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Issues, Fantasy, Father Figures, Gen, Original Character(s), Percy has a better dad, being a better dad, gabe sucks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26537230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Homerthe27/pseuds/Homerthe27
Summary: A story in which Percy had a different step-father growing up. He is nothing like Gabe but is not without his own problems.
Relationships: Percy Jackson & Original Character(s), Percy Jackson & Original Male Character(s), Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson, Sally Jackson (Percy Jackson)/Original Character(s), Sally Jackson (Percy Jackson)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	Scary Abe

The first thing that welcomed me back home was my step-dads confused stare.

"Percy" Scary Abe spoke in his gravelly tone. "What are you doing back?"

"School's over," I told him.

"I thought it was done on the 14th?"

"It is the 14th"

He stopped and peered off of the newspaper like he was trying to count the days since I have seen him, to see if my story matched. "Huh, time does fly" and went back to his stack of papers.

That was the end of that conversation. After today's incident with old ladies and Grover, i just needed to lie down for just a second. So I went over to my room and before I even grabbed the handle of my room. However, Abe shouted back at me before I could open the door.

"I have some stuff in your room. Don't go in" My step father's voice came through the apartment.

I let out a silent sigh of discomfort. Great, I am back home and I can't even get into my room. I set my stuff on the kitchen table and sit at the table closest to the stove.

"I thought you were coming back Sunday. I will clean it up after dinner," He said from his chair.

I never knew why Mom married the man. He was a decade older or so over my Mom, his long black hair already starting to show signs of gray but don't let his age fool you, he is called Scary Abe for a reason. His whole demeanor seemed to be focused on emitting fear, his stare alone made me cry when I first met him. He was almost part bear or wolf, and I could belive it too he is strong. Stronger than other men his age. He is not a bulky guy you would find by the gym or WWE. But if he was in a heist movie he would stand out as the muscle of the group. At the night club, he works at he once threw three men half his age out a window without breaking a sweat. I kind have doubted that story, but it is apparently how my mom and he met, throwing a creep through a window. Apparently, that won over my mom's heart somehow. Though it did little to change my opinion of him.

Abe never did much when he was there. When he wasn't working or going on "business trips" he would lock himself up in his study, or my room when I was gone. In other words, it was to store his guns and his other collectibles. I made a mistake going through his stuff when I was younger and started playing with what I thought was a toy revolver. One of the scariest moments of my life when he busted in and found me waving one of his 'instruments'. You would think with Abe being around me for almost half my life I would get used to him but you would be wrong. That just sets the attitude for the rest of our encounters. He shuns me out of things, so I shun him out as well. I push him to the background.

"Percy?"

I turned and saw my mom, standing in the doorway. I rand up and embraced her, no different then he would when I first came back from boarding school when he was 7. I sat down in her bed and talked about my school year how his classes were, my favorite teachers all the fun moments that I didn't experience. Almost convincing her that I enjoyed my time at school there. I don't know if she believed me or not but I was just happy to be back with her. Then she surprised me with the best idea yet!

The two of us were going to Montauk. Because unlike Abe she knew that I was coming back today. I grabbed spare clothes from my bag and all the other utilities

"Abe, we will be heading out to Montauk" My mom spoke up, letting Abe know of the plans.

"Okay," He said not looking up from his paper. A couple of seconds, of no responses, made it apparent that Abe needed more context.

"Can we borrow your car?" She furthered her question.

"Sure," He said in a slow stern voice. Still not looking up to acknowledge his question. He reached into his jeans to grab it and with a slight flicker of his wrist, the keys flew straight into my Mom's hands.

"How long will you two be gone?" He asked now putting down the newspaper.

"We will be back on Monday," She told him.

"Thanks," She said with a warm glow, something abe didn't acknowledge. I balled my fist, he had the nerve to not even acknowledge Mom you know his wife. But that didn't matter, I could deal with Abe and his nonexistent attitude on Monday. So I did my best to smile and walk out the door.

"Drive safe," I heard him say as we left the room. Still sitting in the same place he was when I came in.

* * *

Abe sat alone in his dining room. He had just finished the meatloaf he had been preparing all day and ate it in the starch light from the few lights that were left on. He was used to the silence, being on the night shift most nights prepared him for long mornings. Those times, were nice and peaceful, with the occasional distraction or something that Percy makes. But it wouldn't be the apartment if Percy doesn't do something crazy. Or something else to give him a migraine.

Abe let out a soft sigh, he honestly feels bad about mixing Percy's arrival. The thing is he has no idea how to interact with him. Percy is only back for a small window of time before he goes off to another boarding school. And each time he comes back he is a little different. Different Summer, different Percy, different rules. Each summer gets worse and worse as time goes on. Plus with his work schedule, Abe just doesn't have a lot of energy. He is tired and exhausted most of the days. However Sally was looking forward to him coming back, and he had wanted to welcome the boy home properly. Sally had an idea to bake a huge cake for him. Abe himself had never made a cake before and was interested in helping Sally make and have it not blow up in their face. However, Abe had to put it off last night after he was called in for another shift.

As starts doing the dishes, he glances over to a picture frame on the window by the table. A young Percy learning how to ride a bike and Sally right behind him. It was a cute photo and it made him smile. But at the same time, it makes him frown. He doesn't say it to himself, he doesn't even acknowledge it in his mind. But a small part of him does wish that he went with them. He has never seen the cabin itself, but the two always seemed so happy when they came back, that it was almost infectious.

But it was a mother and son thing. It belonged to them, and Abe respected that. It was a special place for the two of them, as well as Percy's father.

It wasn't a place for him.

As he was getting the last meat-suds of the pan, the door began to pound. Abe was unsettled by this, he wasn't expecting anyone. Percy and Sally were gone for the whole weekend so it couldn't be them. His work colleges come in every now again, but this didn't seem like them, the would have announced themself by now by weird nicknames they had given each other. It could be trouble from work it wouldn't be like this. A second later there set pounding of the door, much faster and much harder than the earlier one. Abe recognized the panic in now, it was desperate. He inched his way to a door. Slowly reaching for the knife in his pocket. He grabbed the handle and he steadied himself if this was a confrontation took a wrong turn.

A raspy voice came through the door "Percy?"

The voice was that of a...boy? It took Abe a moment to readjust to this. Abe let go of the nob, and he put his knife back in its holder. His paranoia was getting to him if he was willing to challenge a 6th grader to a knife fight. But this person was looking for Percy? He didn't think of this option. That was a first.

"Percy are you there?" He repeated.

Abe thought about leaving the door close and maybe the kid would move on. But considering Percy the life span of his step-son's social life, Abe quickly thought otherwise. And whatever his friend was here for, seemed to be important. Abe swung open the door breaking the rhythm of the knock

"Blaaaah" the boy yelped when Abe swung the door open.

"You must be Abe," he said after a meek couple of seconds. His voice shook, but he raised his head a bit when he talked "Is Percy here?"

"You know it's rude to come into someone's house without telling them who they are?" Abe asked. Already annoyed by the kid's presence. "I don't know about you but I think that its quite rude"

His face paled. "I am Grover," the boy said, his voice still shaking. "I am Percy's..."

"Friend from Yancy" Abe remembered Percy's letters that Sally would read to him. He was surprised to see him here. Normally Percy's friends from his boarding schools call the house once or twice. Abe can't remember a time when one of his step-son's friends came over to meet him after school. Good for Percy.

He looked more or less, then how Percy described him in his letters. He looked like he was around Percy's age, maybe a bit older. He was already sporting facial hair, the light, and thin brown hair that was in slight contrast with the hai on his head. His oversized hat was another trademark that Percy had noted. The only thing that was missing was the crutches he uses to walk. That triggered some bells in his head, but something in the back of his head was fine. But there was still something off, about him. Something that he couldn't quite explain.

"Grover right?"

"Yes, is Percy here?" Grover asked his voice in a panic.

"Sorry, he is not here"

"What!" Grover said appalled "Where is he? I need to talk to him immediately"

"Montauk, he is spending the weekend with his mother," He said.

"No no no, that idiot" He muttered to himself.

Something in his head started to click "Excuse me?" Abe asked in his voice starting to rise. Grover took note and he started to quiver even more, seemingly realizing his mistake.

"No, no not like that" He stuttered. "He just forgot to give me back my...Game...boy"

He relaxed a bit. "A game boy?"

"Yeah, the video game... that I had... but now Percy does but... No NO, i don't have time for this" and he took off at a surprising speed, tripping on his pants legs every other step.

Abe blinked, Percy never said that Grover was a runner, not unless there was food involved. This whole exchange felt like a fever dream, as things came and went as soon as it happened. He didn't what to think of Grover, he came all this way for Percy's game boy and that seems pretty shallow still, it was a step up from the friends who call once or twice then never hearing from them again. However, there was something in his voice, that made him feel uneasy. Grover was here for something other than a video game, and he wanted something else from Percy. Was this an excuse, or was he being extra paranoid again?

* * *

_later that night_

The notion stuck in his head for the rest of the night. He tried to organize his mind by cleaning out Percy's room and looking for cake recipes on the internet. But the thought never left him He knew that step-son was foolish and got into trouble every now and again but that was normal for kids like him, or so Sally says. She was always very protective of the boy and was very anxious every time he was away. Abe always attributed her attachment to her son was because she lost her entire family throughout her life, and was she scared of it happening to Percy as well. Abe understands this, but it gave her extreme anxiety and terrible nightmares. She couldn't sleep much, and would sometime welcome and say goodbye to Abe as he went on his nightshift.

Speaking of which.

His phone started to ring.

He took it up and looked at the number. 'Flapjack' Abe groaned. Dealing with him was always a pain one way or another. His coworker never really made things easy or very audible. Abe is running a bit late, and Flapjack knows it, but with Sally having the car it will be a while before he gets there. He was going to call it in but, Grover's entrance distracted him and it took a while to load his stuff out of Percy's room. Still, he flipped open his phone and was greeted by a raspy yell.

"Hey Gorilla man" he heard his co-worker yell.

"I am on way to work" He grumbled, getting right to the point "I had to move some of my equipment out of Percy's room."

"I thought he was coming back on Sunday"

"No it was today" This was the exact conversation he wanted to avoid. "Got the dates wrong,"

"Well either way I just got word from the boss," He says, "She says we are closing down for the night. Storms getting to close"

'Storm?' he looked outside, immediately he saw the wildest crack of lightning he had ever seen. Winds were howling like wolves, with some people in the streets were having trouble walking in. a straight line. Water was now flowing freely in the streets. You would think that seeing a big storm might be the biggest thing that was on his mind, but the first reaction was, 'how did I not notice this?'.

"Huh"

"Yeah, wouldn't want to be outside right about now. Tell Percy welcome back for me will yeah?"

He hangs up the phone. Abe was still holding the phone in his hand. His mind now tracing back to his wife. Surely they would be fine, it's not a hurricane or something like that. She isn't some flightless bird, she can do well on her own. She and the boy would be handling it, maybe they are on there way back, or they chose to bunker down. Plus if something were to go down, she would have called. He hesitates and starts to pace, for five minutes. wondering if he should do something. Salley is more than able to take care of herself and Percy, the should be fine. She would let him know if they were in serious trouble, right?

He dialed Sally's number. Just to ease his mind a little.

No answer.

Abe walked back to the kitchen to grab the Address book, looking for Terra's number. Terra practically lived there (as she was the landlord), she and Sally had gotten somewhat close over the years. In almost no time he found the number and quickly dialed the number.

Terra picked up almost instantly.

"Hello?"

"This is Abe Marlin, Sally's husband," he told her, doing a good job at hiding his paranoia in his voice.

"Ah yes, did she forget something this time?"

"Pardon?"

"Did she forget something when she left. Percy always leaves something behind when he leaves, and they were in a hurry to this time too?"

Abe was confused, "You mean she isn't there?"

There was a pause at the end of the phone, Terra. She seemed to be caught by surprise by this.

"No," she said slowly "She left 2 hours ago"

**Author's Note:**

> I have returned to my roots and came back to Percy Jackson, the fandom that started it all. I just recently reread the lightning thief for the first time in over a decade and while, and it is shorter then I remembered still had some charm to it. What stuck to me was the parental themes of the story and it hit me quite differently when I first read it when I was 9. I developed a new hatred for Smelly Gabe, and I grew a new fondness for Sally Jackson, she did deserve better.
> 
> So I got the idea of having Percy having a different Step-Father, who ultimately cares for both Percy and Sally but he is not without his shortcomings. Also, I needed a good parallel that rhythms for him and Gabe and Scary works.
> 
> I am not sure how I feel about this chapter. It's shorter than most of my other stories but and I feel like I rushed it in a couple of places. But writing this past week has been exhausting(might fix this later I don't know). So enjoy the parts you want to enjoy I guess.
> 
> ...Oh and Ned should be next, for those who are keeping count.


End file.
